Oliver Cromwell 1656 Halfcrown, the first and rarest date, by Thomas Simon

Oliver Cromwell (d.1658), silver Halfcrown, 1656, laureate and draped bust left, legend and toothed border surrounding, OLIVAR. D.G.R.P. ANG. SCO. HI &c PRO., rev. crowned quartered shield of arms of the Protectorate, date above, legend and toothed border surrounding, PAX QVÆRITVR BELLO, edge inscribed in raised letters, +.HAS. NISI. PERITVRVS. MIHI. ADIMAT. NEMO. weight 14.64g (N.2746; Bull 251 R3; ESC 446 R3; S.3227). Toned, fine and very rare.

These silver Halfcrowns dated 1656 were the first silver coins struck with Oliver Cromwell's portrait as Lord Protector. They were struck on new machinery set up in Drury House on the Strand, by the French engraver Pierre Blondeau who had invented the edge lettering process with his castaing machine, which he had demonstrated previously in the Commonwealth period in two competitions with the hammered workers in 1651 and 1656. In late 1656 £2,000 of gold and silver, mostly if not all from another captured Spanish treasure was allocated to Blondeau to make his milled coins such as we have demonstrated here. The inscription on the edge produced using the new technology which was a safeguard against the illegal practice of clipping, was severe in its intent as the Latin translates as "Let no one remove these from me under penalty of death."

The Halfcrowns of 1656 are much rarer than the more prolific 1658 dated issue, and often see distinct signs of circulation. They also have a different obverse legend to the more common 1658 issue, which were more likely to have been kept as mementos of the Lord Protector.

Provenance:
Ex Noble Investments plc, purchased late 2005.